READY FOR ACTION: Police move into position in case they need to storm the flat.

ARMED police laid siege to a block of flats in Southampton for almost four hours after a man claiming to be armed with a gun threatened officers.

The 28-year-old was eventually persuaded to give himself up by trained police negotiators who reasoned with him on the telephone and then from outside the door of the third-floor flat at Lambwood Mansions.

Police could not find any weapon on the man and none was found in a follow-up search of the premises.

Part of The Avenue was closed in both directions between 5 and 8.50pm during the siege at the three-floor tenement block on Lodge Road, which was also cordoned off near its junction with the Avenue.

The drama unfolded around 3.30pm after the man, who is believed to be on medication, called his doctor in Scotland.

Hampshire Ambulance Service was contacted by the doctor after she became concerned for his well-being.

The man threatened ambulance staff when they went to the address to check on him and police were then called in.

Chief Inspector Peter Dawson, of Southampton Central, said: "The man then called 999 and made a number of non-specific threats towards the police. He also made references to having a firearm.

"We were going to send in officers to make an entry on the premises at 9pm. But about ten minutes before then he opened the door and let local officers into the flat who escorted him out without a struggle."

The man, who appeared to have caused some damage to the flat, was last night being questioned at Southampton Central in relation to a number of non-specific offences.

Worshippers at St Barnabas Parish Church, opposite the flats, had been advised by police to keep the doors locked and later had to be ushered from a side entrance.

Father Barry Fry said: "We were in the middle of evensong when the police came in and told us what was happening.

"I think we'd have had a few more people in if the area had not been cordoned off."

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